Family Vacations: Amicalola Falls

Amicalola Falls, seen here from the crossover bridge, is thetallest cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River.

A hiker's paradise unfolds at Amicalola Falls State Park. Twelve miles of trails weave throughout the picturesque Appalachian Mountains. Daring adventurers can brave the eight-mile approach from the park to Springer Mountain. This path is an access point for the 2,150-mile Appalachian Trail that winds all the way up to Maine. It passes through the Amicalola Watershed to Amicalola Falls. At 729 feet, this is the tallest waterfall east of the Mississippi River. Its name means "Tumbling Waters" in Cherokee.

Amicalola Falls is one of Georgia's Seven Natural Wonders (the others being Okefenokee Swamp, Stone Mountain, Providence Canyon, Tallulah Gorge, Warm Springs, and Radium Springs). Visitors can stay at the modern lodge near the falls, which has 57 rooms.

The visitor center has scales where hikers can weigh their bags before departing. Travelers can also stay at the remote Len Foote Hike Inn, accessible by a five-mile hike along the Hike Inn Trail. The secluded inn's 20 rooms are arranged around a two-story lobby.

The rustic inn provides many gorgeous panoramas of oak and hickory forests with mountain laurel and rhododendron. It also is an access point for winding mountainside trails where you can catch a glimpse of warblers, vireos, white-tailed deer, rabbits, raccoons and bears.

Amicalola Falls Information

Address: 418 Amicalola Falls State Park Rd., Dawsonville, GA

Telephone: 706/265-4703

Hours of Operation: 7 a.m. - 10 p.m., daily

To learn more about family vacation destinations, see:

Family Vacations: Learn about hundreds of family vacations in destinations all over North America.

Atlanta City Guide: Find out where to stay, what to do, and where to eat when you visit Atlanta.

Georgia State Guide: Learn about Mobil Travel Guide-rated hotels and restaurants in Georgia, as well as other recreational activities.

Scenic Drives: For those who think that getting there is half the fun, we have compiled more than 100 of the most scenic drives throughout the country.